GMO's are a no-no

Let's get this known right off the bat: GMO's are nasty, nasty things, and they're usually our foods. Confused? That's alright, read and learn.

GMO stands for genetically modified organism. It can also be known as GEO, which stands for genetically engineered organism. Products that have gone through the GMO process have had their genetic material altered. So, speaking in even further lameish terms, scientists take foods, such as corn, and do whatever they please with the product. They can manipulate the DNA to make kernels fluffier, or they can make the corn degrade faster. The fate of the corn is in the palm of their hands.

And we end up eating the results...

What's even worse is that scientists have been known to literally inject pesticides directly into the seed of crops. So, instead of spraying pesticides on crops and giving us a good chance of washing the nasties off when we're ready to eat, we have no choice but to consume the pesticides. While the concentration of the chemical isn't necessarily as strong as when first injected, it can still cause deadly side-effects on our bodies.

In 1996, The New England Journal of Medicine documented that people commonly had allergic reactions to soybeans which had been genetically modified to include DNA from Brazilian nuts. Why they did this? Who knows. But there has been an increasing trend of people becoming allergic to soybeans, corn and other such substances. It has also been known that, by consuming GMO's, people have become more resistant to antibiotics. Therefore, by continuing to eat genetically modified foods, our bodies may very well become immune to shots that help prevent the flu and other common yet still dangerous diseases.

GMO's are quite scary when viewed from that aspect.

More facts about GMO's:

- Between 1997 and 1999, genetically modified ingredients started to appear in about two-thirds of U.S. processed foods. The Supreme Court allowed for this to happen. Then, for the first time, companies were allowed to patent life forms for commercialization.

- Tomatoes were the first commercially grown crop that had been genetically modified. It was called Flavr Savr. The product was released in 1994 and had no special markings on the packaging stating that the DNA had been tampered with.

As people become more aware of what is happening to our foods, they begin to realize that, as a culture, we need to find a better way to survive. While there is the intention of genetically modifying products to make them more nutritious, there is a higher risk of becoming unhealthier after consumption.

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Samantha Morley, who previously wrote for smaller online businesses, is currently attending college to earn a bachelor degree in literature. Her home is environmentally friendly with solar panels powering all electronics, a highly productive greenhouse and landscaping done with completely natural materials. Samantha can be contacted at sessomaru@pcisys.net.